The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-18

The angry and bitter protests of some of
the Grand Army people against the PROPOSE
ton to return the battle flags stored in the
War Department at Washington to the
States, from the soldiers of which they were
taken during the civil war, were wholly
uncalled for. The Commander in Chief of
the Grand Army, Gen. Fairchild, made use of
expressions of which he ought 70 be heartily
ashamed. If his remarks represent the pre-
Vailing sentiment at the North, and the cx-
pressions of Gov. Gordon, of this State on
the same subject, represent the prevailing
sentiment at the South, it is evident that the
South is a long way ahead of the North in
the work of burying sectional issues and
bringing about fraternal feelings be-
tween the two sections Gen.
Fairchild talks like small politician who
wants to keep alive sectional feeling for po-
htical purposes. Gen. Gordon talks like a
brave soldier who realizes that the war is
over, and like statesman who wants the
sections to clasp hands and work together
for the good of the whole country.
Surely there was no occasion for the sort
of talk that some of the Grand Army peo-
pie INDUCED in. If they did not like the
proposition with regard to the battle flags,
thoy could have said so in a very quiet,
pleasant way, A simple request that it
was not agreeable to them would have been
needed as quickly as the ill-tempered resolu-
lions they adopted
Neither the President nor the Adiutant
General of the army, who proposed the re-
turn of the flags, had any other object in
view than the proper preservation of them.
They are stored in the attic of the War De
partment and are receiving no care. There
are 545 of them in all, of which $50 have a
complete history recorded and $50 have only
a partial history on file. The remainder are
without identification. The Adjutant
General thought that it would be a wise
thing to do to send the Union banners to
the States which have a claim to
them, and the Confederate banners to
the States with which they are identified.
The President, without a careful examina-
ton of the law relatingto the flags, approved
the idea of the Adjutant General When
he found that there was objection to the re-
moval of the flags from Washington he ex-
amined the law more closely and found that
he had exceeded his authority, and there
fore, withdrew his approval. That is the
whole story, and yet Gen. Fairchild wants
the man who suggested the removal of the
flags stricken with palsy from the crown of
his head to the soles of his feet.
Does it not seem as if there were "bloody
shirt" politics at the bottom of this Grand
Army indignation and excitements 1t GER
tainly looks as if the Republican leaders and
organs have stirred up the excitement over
the proposition to distribute the flags with
the hope of getting some fresh campaign
material If that were the purpose of the
bitter speeches and resolutions it is doubtful
if they will meet with much success. The
hearts of the people are not filed with hate
and bitterness, and they are not likely to be
influenced by sectional issues. 1t is worthy
of notice that the Confederate veterans from
Richmond were given most enthusiastic
reception at Boston on Thursday, and that
the people of that city We'd with each other
in showing their kindly feeling for them
within the shadow of Bunker Hill monu-
ment. The small politicians may howl
themselves hoarse, but the hearts of the
masses will not respond to the doctrine of
hate. The sentiments of Gordon will be
applauded by thousands where those of
Fairchild are applauded by one.